There was something floating in the water ahead of the canoe. It looks dead, whatever it is, someone said. That's where the mystery begins, and eleven-year-old Alan and his friends are determined to solve it on their own, without adult interference. They have all the tools they need—Ziggys canoe, Jose’s ability to impress parents, and Alan’s detective instinct. Mix in a gang of bullies on jet-skis, an eccentric hermit, and the theft of a priceless violin, and the stage is set for a fast-action summer adventure in cottage country. This is a new series for younger readers by Mel Malton, author of the Polly Deacon mysteries for adults under the name H. Mel Malton.